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Senior officials in Venezuela responded to the U.S. removal of President Nicolás Maduro from power on Saturday by reviving explicit antisemitic conspiracy rhetoric — publicly blaming “Zionists” for the American military operation.
In a nationally-televised address following the arrest of Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, Maduro’s acting successor, Delcy Rodríguez, framed the U.S. action as part of a supposed hidden global plot involving Israel.
“The governments of the world are shocked that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the victim and target of an attack of this nature, which undoubtedly has Zionist undertones,” Rodríguez said. “It’s truly shameful.”
The statement echoed classic antisemitic conspiracy tropes, portraying Jews as covert actors manipulating international events from behind the scenes.
Venezuela’s Jewish population has declined sharply over the past two decades, amid political instability and rising hostility. History shows that conspiracy narratives blaming Jews or “Zionists” for national crises often precede threats against Jewish institutions and individuals.
A Familiar Pattern
Rodríguez’s remarks aligned with a pattern long established by Maduro himself. In November, amid heightened tensions with the United States, Maduro accused “far-right Zionists” of plotting against Venezuela.
“There are those who want to hand this country over to the devils,” Maduro said at a political rally. “The far-right Zionists want to hand this country over to the devils.”
He described the situation in religious terms, portraying Venezuela as a Christian nation under attack by foreign forces and questioning why Americans would seek to harm Christians.
In another speech, Maduro used explicitly religious imagery to assert political authority, casting Jesus as a symbol of resistance and invoking divine command. “I place Jesus of Nazareth as commander-in-chief of the battle for peace,” he declared, referring to Jesus as a “Palestinian martyr.”
Antisemitism as Political Deflection
These statements reflect a broader strategy of political deflection. By blaming “Zionists” for domestic and international crises, Venezuelan leaders shift responsibility away from governance failures while spreading one of history’s most enduring hate narratives.
Such rhetoric recycles antisemitic myths that portray Jews as disloyal, omnipotent, and secretly in control of global events. When voiced by heads of state and senior officials, those myths do more than inflame rhetoric — they endanger lives.
As antisemitism reaches record levels worldwide, the open deployment of these conspiracies by national leaders represents a serious and escalating threat. It signals not only hostility toward Israel, but the normalization of antisemitism as a political weapon.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
